Fun in the Sun, or The Star Cars at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale Auction!

Firstly, let me apologize for my brief absence. Unfortunately, I have experienced a technical glitch. Is “klugie” really a technical term describing one’s computer malfunction? If so, then my computer has klugie-itis. You know where to find me this weekend. Yes, the Apple Store. Now on to more interesting news…

We should have had a road trip. Scottsdale this time of year sure appeals to those of us near the 45th parallel. Barrett-Jackson has an annual auction in Scottsdale. A lot of nice cars go there. Too bad it just happened a few weeks ago. And we are all still stuck in the cold and rain. Well then, my job is to tell you about the noteworthy ones that sold there.

1966 Batmobile: $4.2 Million USD. We all knew that the original Batmobile would fetch a lot more than the reserve. It did. The reserve for the vehicle was an undisclosed amount, but sources say it was about $3.5 Million USD. That’s $700,000 OVER the reserve! The car’s new owner said that he is going to put the Batmobile in his living room. If you have that amount of money, you don’t put the car in your LIVING ROOM! You build a CAVE for it!!! Check out my post when I originally wrote about this cool car. https://unmuffled.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/the-original-1966-batmobile-will-hit-the-auction-block-in-january/

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray: As has been the custom since the C3 (3rd generation Corvette) debuted in 1971, the first car to be produced (Chassis #001) is auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson. The charity that receives the large lump of money is always pleased. The Detroit College for Creative Studies should be pleased. Many of their alumni work in GM’s design studios. The 2014 Corvette Sting Ray is now owned by NASCAR Rick Hendrick. How much did he pay for it? A hefty $1,050,000 USD. Add in the fact that Rick Hendrick basically just donated $1,050,000 to charity for a car, the price does kind of seem attractive.

Porsche 959 Prototype: While the Porsche Panamera may surpass the 959 in terms of performance, there won’t be people writing poems about the Panamera. The Porsche 959 is the automotive equivalent of the Apollo Space Program. This 959 prototype is one of only four built, and one of two remaining. The hefty $400,000 hammer price seems like a lot, and it is. The car may not be street-legal, but it will beat just about any Ferrari, Lamborghini, or anything else around the Nurburgring.

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Cobra Tribute: This Mustang may look like a souped-up GT500, which it is. However, it is a one-off vehicle that fetched $200,000. That lump of cash went to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The buyer walked away with an awesome car, and the charity got a lot of money. It’s a win-win situation!

All I’m sayin’ people, next year this time, (say it with me) “ROAD TRIP”!!